A Recollection of Forbidden Love
by Cev
Summary: VH, AU: Van Fanel. Young, smart, handsome, and Hitomi Kanzaki's new Enlgish teacher. His willpower, morals, and contenment are thrown out the window at the first contact...of...lips...
1. Boarding Flight

Hey guys! Cev here. I'm just cranking 'em out lately, hmmm? I'm having fun updating lately. Especially since I've been getting good feedback. It's always encouraging. However, I welcome any criticism, too, no matter how harsh. Come on, I can take it. :P.

Anyway, the subject I'm about to embark upon is a very..."touchy" one, so just as a forewarning, if you don't approve of the whole teacher/student making out in the janitor's closet, then you probably need to bee somewhere else (hmm...yeah, right, no making out in the janitor's closet, sorry ya'll). So, with that behind us, I just have one more thing to say, and then we'll be out and about! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **The story of which inspired me to write on this lovely taboo, "Forbidden Love", belongs to the wonderful author Love Witch. Of course, there are small similarities, and the huge one of the student/teacher theme, but I have been given permission from Love Witch herself to start and finish her first notioned story, since she is no longer with us here. And, she's kinda helping me out, and has even become my own wonderful beta-reader! Yes!

So make sure you give her praise, first. So, that being said, I also note that though very much inspired by her, this story is written, directed, and organized by me. Of course, I don't claim Escaflowne or any of its wonderful characters. For those of you wanting to criticise my creativity, I'd rather you look around at all the other template "Hitomi Returns to Gaea", "The Escaflowne Characters as High School Students" fics out there, and save your "creative rants" for them.

I really don't expect any of these said "rants", but I'm just putting this up just in case. I mean, there are some really kickass "Hitomi Returns to Gaea", High School, etc fics out there. _Really_. But that's mostly credited to the fact that the author of such "kickass stories" has great control and depth when it comes to the English language.

So, without further ado, let's read!

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A Recollection of Forbidden Love

By Cev

Chapter One: Boarding Flight

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Of course, everything that happened between us wasn't just at the high school. In fact, it was mostly everything outside of school that brought us together. I think people need to understand this. 

But this world is caught up in legalities.

You can sue McDonalds for making you fat, sue the company for the paint peeling on your car that somehow caused your accident, sue the school ISD for allowing a teacher to have romantic relations with one of his students...

These are just some examples I've heard from Folken, though.

Here in the terminal, my stomach pitted in anxiety, my bright imagination flares my senses. _And I can almost hear his voice again; feel his breath against my skin._ I look to everyone waiting in murmuring silence, the droning noise, coffee, food, newspapers. Even the snowflakes blanketing the runway take on significance as I wait for my plane. And I only mind a little that it delays my departure.

_All in good time_, I'm telling myself; _I just need to be patient_.

You see, it's been a few years. Two, actually, since I've seen him. And today…

Today is the best day of my life.

Well, that's not exactly true.

The best day of my life was when I met him.

I know it's corny, I know it sounds like a ridiculous start to an unlikely love story.

Let me tell you, this was very unlikely. However, it wasn't always just about love.

His older brother was, and still amiably _is_ as ever, a good friend to my dear Uncle Gaddess. And when Gaddess unexpectedly had to take care of me when I was so much younger, I got close to them both. Van might be four years older than I, but when we were that young, it didn't matter. Not even when you're that much older, does it matter.

The problem is our prepubescent, adolescent, kick-started hormones age.

Oh, and that thundered in that time. Ruled our very lives.

I do regret some things. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't. And anyone else who covets that default "I have no regrets" phrase is a liar, or mostly just a pig-headed, unchanging moron. I know this. My parents are pig-headed, unchanging morons. But Van is pretty pig-headed too, so let's just say that we did some very wrong things.

So I guess people might call these happenings, my story and his, _illegal_.

People could say this is a story about forbidden love.

Don't get me wrong, because it really is, but…

But...I'd really like to think, that it's more a story about coming-of-age. And not just the loss of innocence with experience…

Because it was more finding out who I wanted to be, and where I wanted to go in my life.

Right now, I'm going into the arms, _yes, however cliché it might sound_, of the one man I could ever love in this way. This is where I want to go, where I want to be. I know we can't follow each other hopelessly, and I know I can't run after him like a child. It doesn't work that way.

No, I'm going to him so that we can walk towards our futures together, hand in hand, looking straightforward.

"Now boarding flight A1778, Casia, Freid."

Did I mention that he's in Northern Freid right now? Probably not. Don't be alarmed. I'm going to drag him back to Fanelia in a few months.

Stupid guy. He just **had** to get so excited about writing that book about legends with Dryden. When they first told me I was convinced it was Dryden's doing, but that's not exactly true. He loves to write. Especially about things like this.

Looking out my window, I can see the sun just beginning to drift down into the forest behind the landing field. I'm excited because I'll be able to see the world light up at night while we fly above. I love to fly, and never get anxious, even if it's a 10-hour flight.

It could be worse. It could be a 12-hour flight.

These days, I'm always optimistic.

I bring out the most recent letter, carrying curious little scraps of what looks like dust and the tiniest of metal shards, most likely from their traversing around the caverns and deep dwellings of the holy abandoned city, Atlas. And the excavation.

I smile, looking over the things he's written and the poorly drawn pictures that look like purposefully drawn cartoons to make me laugh. Of course, I'm going to draw, picture, and paint them for him, to add my part in their little research project that's blown into a highly-acclaimed, hugely-funded operation.

Laughing and smiling to his letters, it almost seems like he's a small child amazed with a new discovery, innocent and naïve. I shouldn't be thinking that way, though. After all, at one point in my life I did have to address him as "sensei".

But it's still endearing. And of course, is another reason why I'm up here, thousands of miles above Gaea.

So now, you know where I am. And could you obviously, possibly know how much I love this man?

How much I need him?

Do you understand this: That I would travel thousands of miles to be by his side, away from my family and friends? It might be helping me and my major, but that's insignificant.

I don't have to be doing this. Don't have to be tying my little red strings to someone else's.

I just need you to know these things before I tell you our story. Or, rather, before _we _do.

You can judge me by this, I don't care. It doesn't phase me anymore. First you need to know everything before you can make your decision.

And so I'll tell you a story. He'll tell his part, too. And the all-mighty third person, omnipresent, will take it from here.

Pay attention, because I'm sure you'll learn something.

I know I did.

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Atlas: A made-up site, not intended to be 'Atlantis'. This is a new place, separate.

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Be sure to review on your way out. ;p 

Chp 2 coming soon.

_**Cev**_


	2. Professor Fanel

**I haven't done reviewer replies in a while...so I thought, why not:)**

aan: thanks!

Inda: Not A? just kidding...

Xanthia Nightshade: I like pulling readers in. Or kidnapping them...either way...:p

Straberryz: Well, I put Van in business clothes today!

crossfire: Many things are to be revealed later. I like a little confusion to set into my readers when they read the first chapter.

cassie89: thanks!

dancegoddess: Age difference is explained here. I looked over the first chapter and didn't really see confusion when concerning age difference..it's discussed once. Um...oh, well, I'm pretty clear on it with this chapter.

Chocolate-Covered-Coffee-Beans: Oh, 'intriguing' will soon take on a whole 'nother meaning...

pure hope: umm...thanks for the enthusiasm:)

firewindgurl: thank you!

but I guess I really didn't have to do any real thinking with those first reviews...XD...so I'll continue to live up to the label that Cev is Ms. Lazybones!

Just kidding. Read on!

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**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

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**A Recollection of Forbidden Love**

**Chapter Two:** Professor Fanel

**Author: **Cev

**Editor:**LoveWitch

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Clack 

Clack

Clack

Clack

Clack. Stop. Turn head. Loosen Tie.

"Boy…it sure is warm in here." His voice echoed throughout the empty halls. Halls that were nothing like the place he grew up in. High School revisited. Only this time, slightly different.

And it _was_ hot. Unusually so, but it was October 3rd, a Monday, and the sharp Fanelian cold outside the huge, intricate wooden doors of Escaflowne Academy had prompted the janitors to make sure not one appendage would ever need extra heat inside the extensive hallways of the intimidating school. It made a tie even more inconvenient than usual.

"Stupid Armani suit…stupid Folken for making me wear it…"

Van continued navigating his way to the second level, passing over a bridge-like enclosure that allowed him a good view of the campus fields and courtyards below in this particular wing. It was a beautiful place, reminding him very much of some of the finer, much older, castle-like homes in Palas. He managed a small, nervous smile. Escaflowne Academy was as old as technological history itself. Its walls knew nothing of kings or dark ages, but it did know of painters, of philosophers and scientists and a Duke that had too much money to spend. It's marble floors, Corinthian columns, richly painted ceilings, finely carved, rich dark wood were all so extravagant-even the legs of a simple cafeteria table were a piece of art. The lavishness of it all reminded Van very much of the University he had just come from.

Only the finest were eligible at Escaflowne. Only the most talented, most intelligent, most quick-witted and thorough people were allowed beyond that beautiful quadrangle. Unless, of course, daddy had lots and lots of money.

_How did I get this job in the first place? _Fanel asked himself silently, dreading that thought of reaching his new classroom._ Right. Folken. Gaddess. Millerna. Dryden._ If it wasn't for them, and the Fanel family name, which instantly served up an extensive social and political network, Van would be jobless. Not good for a recently graduated English major. Not good for the Valedictorian of Palas University, literally the best and most exclusive college in all of Gaea.

But really just _not good_.

Van never wanted to be a teacher. It was never even on his 'considering' list. When he had told Folken that, he had merely laughed.

_"So what **did** you plan to do with that English degree?"_

_Not this, brother,_ Van thought after recalling Folken's words.

He wanted out.

He had never wanted to be in Fanelia again. But here he was, at home. Living like he did when he was younger. At home.

How strange Fate is to have dealt him these cards.

He wanted out!

As that thought rumbled dangerously in Van's dark head, a sudden picture came to his mind.

His mother. His beautiful mother, now deathly pale, fighting with all of her might. She didn't smell so much as pine these days as she did bleach. Her skin was so cold and clammy now, and her blue two-dot tattoo on her forehead made her waxen skin stand out even more. No one understood that, like his family did. Well, perhaps the Kanzaki family was more empathetic than others could ever be.

Van's thought process lingered on the Kanzakis. Gaddess Kanzaki was the one who had initiated this whole thing, helped him so that had could become a professor here at Escaflowne for the time being. With the original senior English teacher having resigned for reasons Van didn't know of (and was scared to know of), the Escaflowne Education Board has rushed to get Van Fanel in the position, not wanting to leave any long periods of time to pass where the students where teacher-less while they were looking for a more experienced professor. Van was very irked after hearing this news, but like all good Fanels, he had thanked them kindly, bowed slightly, and turned from the meeting room without another word.

Thinking about Gaddess almost made his wander too much into that family. He pushed the picture of a small girl with cute cheeks, smiling up at him with a joyful green gaze below a cascade of honey blonde hair, out of his mind. No. Though he would have liked to really reminisce at that moment, there was far too much going on right now to think of her, his childhood friend. He sighed. It was hard _not_ to think of her.

Van looked down to check his slip of paper.

Room 167

He had finally reached the hall where his classroom was. The numbers shined in a golden brass to the left of the door.

Room 167  
Prof. V.S. Fanel  
English

Van's eyes goggled. He wasn't a permanent teacher, and yet he got he own plaque for the room? Just how lavish was Escaflowne, anyway?

His eyes rested on his last name. _Fanel_.

Of course, that was the reason for the plaque, made in such short notice. Van sighed. Again. It wasn't that he hated his family. He loved them. All of them, very much. They were close and showed affection and all of that ruddy stuff, even though Gaou constantly badgered Van about 'Not living up to his full potential'. But…to be labeled so much by just one 5-letter name. It carried too much weight for him to handle at that moment. He loved his family, hated their name.

_"Being a professor is much better than working for dad, I'm sure," Folken had said cynically, "I would know."_

_Van had snorted rather rudely in response._

_"But it's a good job. You should consider it. I don't like it that you're…**teaching**. Maybe after being out there in the real world you'll realize some things. Probably come back to the firm."_

Well, Van did love his family, but at times like this, and many times before, he certainly had a hard time liking them.

"Whatever, brother," Van whispered, "I might have used our name this time to get something done, but I'm not about to rely on you or father. After this is all over," He took the brass-leaf handle in his hand with a firm but desolate resolution, and thought of his mother, "I'm going to leave Fanelia for good."

The sadness in his soft voice was heard by no one, and Van had effectively erased all signs of misgivings about this place when the door opened. Sixteen pairs of wide, young eyes met his dark form as Van stepped through the entry. Black hair, smoothed back with gel, he knew it looked good, but was still uncomfortable. Van hated gel, hated anything in his hair. He was dressed in a black suit, the smallest gray lines of pinstripe brought out with a light gray shirt and a deep red tie. His red-wine eyes surveyed the small class with quick observation, and without saying anything, Van made his way to the small, cleared desk at the front of the room. It was only decorated by a streamlined green lamp, a cup of writing utensils, a stack of blank paper, and an empty black coffee mug. He smirked and placed his black suitcase on the top, piling the shoulder strap neatly on it.

To his surprise and twisted delight, the students were too confused to respond to any of his sequential, uninterrupted actions. Because Escaflowne was a private school, and elitist, the class was small, which he was grateful for, and the lack of response made his first impression easier. He did not want to be 'messed with' by a bunch of snobby, rich, annoying brats. Van supposed there were a few exceptions to the student body regarding stereotypes, after all, it wasn't like Van to stereotype people. But today being his first day, and still the anger of his situation biting at his nerves, Mr. Fanel was not feeling very giving at the moment.

With a grace that only came with practice, Van reached up to the chalk board behind him and wrote his name large and clear, his handwriting defined and without flourish.

Professor Fanel

"You may call me Mr. Fanel or Professor if you prefer, I don't care. But please let it be known: no title, no response."

The students looked a little taken aback by his demanding tone of voice. Though it wasn't too loud, it was firm and definite, with a kind of finality that reached each syllable. Van supposed that they would not know how to respond to such a statement, so he leaned forward and placed his hands on his desk, turning his solemn glare to a relaxed smile, "Well, good morning!"

Such a change, that only half of them managed a 'Good morning' back.

Van walked to the front of the desk and leaned back, half-sitting, half-standing. His composure seemed to have relaxed some of the other students.

"I'm guessing that you have already been informed of your previous teacher resigning-"

A small chuckle sounded from the back of the class.

Van raised a right eyebrow, pausing momentarily as some of the other students laughed as well, "And I'm to fill in until the school finds a more experienced professor to permanently take his place."

A red head girl at the front, who had not giggled or snorted or chuckled like many of the others, raised a hand in a poised, dignified manner.

Van was surprised, but looked toward her, "Yes?"

"How long will you be teaching us?"

"What's your name?" Van asked back, looking at her intently.

"Yukari Uchida, sir." She said without hesitation.

Van's eyes widened. Uchida? How did that name sound familiar? "Well, Miss Uchida," Van said, his deja vu not lasting but a few seconds, "I'm not entirely sure, but probably well into the New Year, maybe even the whole school year. Good teachers are hard to find."

Another student raised his hand, and Van nodded to him.

"If good teachers are hard to find, then how come you're here only a week after Mr. Caldwell left?"

Van shrugged, a master at the image of relaxation, when really he was completely nervous about this whole 'first impression' thing. Already someone was going to defy him. Hadn't Gaddess said something about how this year's senior class was something of a "loose cannon"?

"It was the perfect opportunity for both parties involved," He stated simply, leaving room for the imagination. Van smiled sarcastically and looked at the class, "Not to mention, the perfect opportunity for me to conduct a new teaching style."

Someone in the back snorted in a mocking way. Van rolled his eyes.

"What new teaching style?" A girl in the second row of desks asked.

Professor Fanel smiled again, this time brighter and more chipper than he had the whole morning before this first period, "It's called," He waited dramatically while some leaned forward with mild interest, "Homework every night."

A round of groans met his ears, and he chuckled slightly, returning to sit at the desk. He picked up a piece of chalk. "Read pages 462-490. Write on prompt number four, and have your short essay ready to be picked apart by next class period."

"An essay already! It's only October!" A small voice whined.

Van laughed good-naturedly, "I know as juniors you all were taught well on writing. One whole year to develop that skill should have made you into fine writers. I've met your past junior English teacher and she's a smart woman. I know you guys learned from her. However, that Professor Caldwell has seemed to let you slip. And for now I'll fix the damage, because you'll need to be ready to write essays explaining poetry and other forms of 'ambiguous' writing, as I'd like to call it."

"Poetry's dumb." A strong male voice affirmed from the back.

Van glowered a little, but recomposed, "Excuse me?"

"Po-e-try-is-dumb."

"Stand up, whoever said that." Tension immediately spread throughout the air, acting upon expansion and absorption to seep into every object, animate and inanimate alike.

A gleaming blonde head reared up above the students, and Van was met with steely, defiant blue eyes. The guy was tall as he, and a good-looking sort. His school uniform was a little haphazard, uncaring, if you will, and he winked at a girl next to him as he stood.

"Name." Van demanded coolly.

"Allen Schezar."

"Well, Schezar, Mr. Po-e-try-is-dumb," Van said with a slight mocking he knew was inappropriate, "What is not dumb to you, then?"

Allen paused a little, not expecting a question like that in response, "Umm…football?"

"So," Van said without a wince of hesitation in his voice, a strange confidence that extended his 22 years to eons, "Do you _play_ football, Mr. Schezar?"

"Yes."

"Yes…?"

"Yessir." Allen grumbled, understanding the hitch in the professor's voice.

"And are you on the Varsity team, Mr. Schezar?"

"Yessir." Allen grumbled. Damn. And he looked so young and introverted; easy like Mr. Caldwell, who, though was not young, was definitely **not** assertive.

"Mr. Schezar, I might not exactly enjoy teaching, but I do intend to teach everyone here just as that is what I was hired for. Not merely for the job's sake but simply because it reflects on me as a person how well I do. Now, keeping that in mind, does it sound like I care about how much you get out of this class?"

"Yessir." Allen grumbled. The other students in the class, wary of Mr. Fanel's sudden change in demeanor, and who were definitely never used to seeing Allen being tamed with such ease, merely looked on.

"So therefore I would want you to learn, and learn important things, correct?"

"Yessir."

"As such, you'd have to learn them to achieve a reasonably good grade to continue with Varsity Football."

No reply, but the professor continued.

"And poetry being one of the things I want you to study, would that make it 'dumb', Mr. Schezar?"

"No."

Van gave him a stern look.

"No _sir_." The young man replied bitterly.

"You may take your seat." Van said with a friendly, very uncharacteristic smile.

No one said anything, and that made Van a little upset. Though this Allen guy had the gall to be so rude, he didn't want their first class with him to be a horrible experience.

"Well, I've told you guys my name and I suppose a little about me, so I'd like to know your names, age, and something interesting about you. Starting with you," Van motioned to a blonde girl sitting in the front row to his very left.

"Um, Mr. Fanel," Yukari interrupted, her hand eagerly raised, "You haven't told us your age or where you went to school, or anything!"

Van frowned a bit; did he really want them to know how young he was? He quirked a small smile at her, and noticed that all of the girls in the class were nodding in excitement.

He was, after all, really _really_ hot. Sun-gold skin, unique eyes, very dark hair, and a wonderfully-expensive dark suit that looked wonderfully handsome on the Professor's tall, built frame: Van was the youngest-looking, most handsome person on the Escaflowne staff so far.

But this was something Van never thought of. He sighed and smiled, "I'm not sure if I should answer part of that question, Miss Uchida. Because I wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm an easy target like this Mr. Caldwell seemed to be."

Most of the class laughed. He was a funny teacher! And they were excited about such a mysterious but likable (and obviously going to be a hard) professor.

"Why?" A brown-haired guy asked.

"Because I'm only 22."

Some people were wide-mouthed, and, to Van's distaste, some of the girls blushed tomato red. He almost wished he never had told them, but the cat was out of the bag now.

"B-but that means you're only about 4 years older than most of us!"

"How can you be a professor **here** so young?"

Van quieted the many questions his admittance of age had triggered by motioning his palms down in want of silence. He noticed Schezar in the back looked absolutely appalled. To have been degraded by someone who was only four years older than he!

"I skipped a few grades in school and ended up going to college earlier than I planned. So I finished way earlier than most ever thought was possible."

"Where did you go to college?" Someone asked.

"Palas University." Van said with a confident but easy smile. Eyes widened and people stopped talking. Van blushed.

"Wow! Not even Dr. Dornkirk could get into Palas!" Yukari said.

Van smiled uneasily and put his hands up; "It's probably the only reason they hired me. But that's not exactly true about the Headmaster. Dr. Dornkirk was traveling a lot and studying abroad, so he really didn't have time to lock down and stay in one place like Palas U. requires."

That still didn't release some of the wonder in some of his students, and Van's hope to just become a stern regular teacher was out the window.

But the bell interrupted their reverie, and everyone scrambled to leave the room, "Hey!" Van roared, stopping his class, "What am I, chopped liver?" Some of them chuckled. "To think a metal bell has become of more meaning than any human being that is a teacher," He lamented, receiving smiles.

Van smiled but said firmly, "Don't forget the homework, any of you. I don't give second chances!"

When they didn't move, he laughed, "Class dismissed!"

_Perhaps he could make this fun..._

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End Chp 2. 

Chp 3 currently in progress, set from Hitomi's view.

**Please Review!** Your wonderful comments are what keep me going!

Thanks,

**_Cev_**


	3. The Girl

To all the amazement of her family, who slept hard and late most mornings, repeatedly abusing their loud, annoying alarm clocks, Hitomi had consistently been a morning person, waking way before first light. Every school day, without fail, she would wake without the aid of an alarm at 6 AM, pushing her little lithe body up with a small sleepy groan, wrinkling her green sheets into a pool below her torso, and slowly turning, her bare, calloused feet would freeze on the contact of her wooden floors. On days like this day, without the threat of a storm or getting drenched, no matter the fact that it was winter time in Northern Fanelia, Hitomi would go straight for her huge central window, almost spanning from the floor to the ceiling, and release her shutters and glass. A rush of sound and wind would greet her, and she would close her eyes and take deep breaths of the salty Fanelian air, fresh and awakening, and hear the soft crashing of waves against her rocky shores off in the distance.

It was a moment only belonging to her, that her dozing family could not be a part of. It was a singular joy taken, almost a luxury.

As if just waking up, her eyes would always open slowly, and her cheeks would rose, her eyes glimmer, her skin feel a little more elastic. Then coffee would come, showers taken, noises starting, and her daily life would begin.

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**A Recollection of Forbidden Love**

**Chapter Three:** The Girl

**Author: **Cev

**Editor: **LoveWitch

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Hitomi always walked with a happy stride early in the morning, down the stairs and cement and adobe of Fanelia, up to the towering (and quite imposing) Escaflowne Academy. Wearing the blazer to keep out the ever-present chill of the early coastal morning hours, Hitomi watched her scenery change with eager eyes as the sun rose on her daily walk. It was a bit longer than most students had to walk, but Hitomi didn't like the idea of being driven to school as Dad always wanted. It gave her some exercise in the track off-season.

Escaflowne Academy was nestled like a castle into the rock and trees of the side of the cliffs. It was linked with long glassed-in passageways high in the stories, connecting the different wings that were spread out high and low on the founded precipice. It was an unusual array and organization of a school, unique and interesting, but also sometimes much harder to navigate through, and was, never-ending, an awe-inspiring piece of architecture. Hitomi was a senior and yet still she had a rush of wonder at the Academy's grandeur and beauty every time she saw it, however cold and old it seemed sometimes.

Just as the Academy came into sight, Yukari Uchida came jogging down a flight of steep stairs lining one particularly steep hill on 3rd street, 3 blocks north of the downtown plaza.

"Rushing as always, you never fail," Hitomi said cheerily as Yukari came sliding to a stop before her relaxed friend. Her fiery red hair gleamed in a messy disheveled frizz in the orange early morning sunlight, and Hitomi affectionately smoothed it down for her.

"What can I say? I'm a creature of habit." Yukari smirked, adjusting the straps of her backpack. The Academy loomed ahead as a small dark castle guarding over the bright Moroccan feel of the adobe and wood of the town. The capital, rich in its early culture, still opened fresh-air markets along the street every morning. People here performed old traditional tasks with the aid of incredibly advanced Gaean technology, well supplied by Fanelia's booming economy and trade. Swords and Kings and such had been centuries and eons and centuries ago, but that old world was never truly forgotten.

Hitomi loved her village, though it really was becoming too large to be called such, but couldn't help but feel the small tinge of wanting to get out and see somewhere else, a feeling gnawing and consuming many of her other senior friends. But unlike them, she held a love for her town that many had oppositely viewed a cage, and would call it home long after she'd made a new one.

"Today seems like an important thing," Hitomi said suddenly as they walked through the morning market, somehow catching the noises with a brighter tone, every action a little more remembered.

Yukari smiled quirkily at her friend. Hitomi always had a way with being a little enchanted in her approaches to life, taking care of the little things as stepping stones to the big picture. "Why's that?" The redhead asked, not really interested in the topic but for conversation's sake.

"Dunno…" Hitomi said, somewhat astonished with her own answer, really only speaking to herself. Yukari knew Hitomi well, too well, she almost thought sometimes, and had a gentle way of asking her questions to help her work through something in her mind, not for Yukari's actual curiosity on the subject but simply because she knew Hitomi needed something to answer to, working it through by saying it out loud. "It's just as if it'll be a day to remember."

Yukari laughed, "With you, Hitomi, everyday has something to remember in it. Like just last week"-Yukari smirked mischievously, and Hitomi groaned-"when you spilled the entire cleaning bucket on Mr. Caldwell! That seemed to be the straw to break his back!"

Hitomi huffed, turning pink in exasperation, "That was not my fault! Allen shoved me purposely so it would happen! I never meant to do anything to that stupid old man!"

"It was still really funny. Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!" Yukari cried.

"What?" Hitomi and Yukari stepped up to the Academy doors, taking one last look in the mirrors.

"They've finally got us an English teacher. Too bad you weren't at school yesterday because of that science field trip"-Hitomi groaned at the mention of the boring biology lecture she had to attend the day before-"this guy's awesome! He's really hot, and incredibly smart. Said he went to Palas University for school, and he's graduated, but he's only 22 years old! Can you believe it? I bet Millerna's already got a plan up her sleeve."

"Really? From Palas…and only 22." Hitomi was puzzled. Usually Gaddess told her everything that went on with new teachers, and he hadn't mentioned it at dinner last night. "Sounds familiar." She whispered to herself, her heart picking up pace. "Palas, only 22. There can't be two of them. Van's just Van, no one else has done what he's done." Hitomi's thoughts were running wild, but she was still walking with Yukari to their first period. English wasn't until later in the day, and she just would find out later if it was really him. She put a hand to her chest.

"Hitomi? You all right?" Yukari asked, opening the door to homeroom and stepping inside.

Hitomi snapped out of her daze, "Yes, I'm fine." She said, "I just need to get a drink of water."

But instead of getting water, she ran down to the English wing, only a flight above her homeroom. She was looking in the windows, trying to seem inconspicuous, when suddenly the fire alarm went off.

"THIS IS A FIRE DRILL. PLEASE EXIT TO YOUR NEAREST OUTSIDE STAIRWELL, ONTO THE CLIFF LEDGE AND GRASS," The principal's secretary announced.

Hitomi was suddenly bombarded with rushing people, talking and shouting in a haze. Teachers came out to move them along. A tall black-haired man, one she'd never seen before, in a brown suit, was filing people along and yelling out orders. She shoved her way towards him, getting slightly squished. His hair was slicked back, something Van never bothered with, and the suit didn't fit what Van would wear, but that was the teacher, coming out of Mr. Caldwell's old room, the one that Yukari had told her about. The squareness of his shoulders, something of his gait down the hallway in the crowd of people made him stand out to her like Van always did. She wanted to yell out his name to get his attention, but would be embarrassed if it wasn't him. She finally managed to move her way into his line of sight, and by some uncanny way of people being able to make eye contact without any notion of communication, his dark wine eyes locked on her form.

Fanel's eyes widened into large white and red pools as he stopped his motioning and yelling. Was he dreaming? That girl looked so familiar. He seemed to be losing his balance…

"Hito-"

Hitomi wasn't sure it was him. If it was, he'd changed SO much. His eyes, though, pierced through lead and shattered her thoughts in an instant.

Dark summer nights, beaches, the soaring roar of waves and birds around her. Endless lullabies of haunting native songs whistled in her memory ears, like Arabian nights of some exotic place, the exotic blood of Van's mother reaping all sorts of strange quirks and ethnicity in Van that Folken hadn't quite inherited. But Van was wild, with dark, tanned skin, wild black hair like the night, and the blue tattoos on his forehead and arms, from spending the fall season in the At-Kai village with his mother's family. In his eyes you could see the red of his heritage that all of Varie's children had.

This man stood stiff and slightly unsure of himself, his hair carefully combed back with pomade. Thin reading glasses perched a stark, long nose that characterized an angular, interesting face that reminded Hitomi of a face she used to spend hours sketching. His skin was just paler and less full of life in that brown suit.

There was just no way. But she couldn't stop staring at him. The hairs on the back of her neck started to stiffen and stand.

"Hitomi! What are doing standing there?" Allen's strong arms turned her without hesitation away from the teacher's laser eye contact. Hitomi didn't answer, just let him, this once, crush her against him as he moved them both out the fire exit.

"That couldn't be him. There's just no way…"

* * *

Van stumbled inside of his classroom while the fire drill was still going. Like a drunken man, he wildly pulled through his files, his hair coming un-slicked and becoming more wild with every crazy rummage. With a cry of relief and something of a mix of hope, he had found the large red attendance folder. He hadn't taken roll yesterday-he had forgotten, the vice principal had been upset. He ran his finger down the list of names in all of his periods of the day.

"Perhaps she's not in my classes…or maybe that…" He sighed, "Or maybe, that wasn't her." Van slumped into his black chair dejectedly, covering his face with his hands. "I'm going crazy. It doesn't matter anymore. She's probably not even at this school anymore. Her parents have probably already shipped her off to that stupid school in western Freid."

"Hitomi…" Van opened his eyes drearily to stare out the window, as if talking to her ghost in his reflection, "Hitomi, I miss you."

* * *

It took Hitomi a second to regain her senses and start to think clearly. The man certainly did remind her of Van, but there was no way it could have been him. Van had always said he wanted to go to those ruins and work as a translator in Freid. He was probably over there now, covered and rolling in dirt and had completely forgotten about all of them – he had a tendency to push the bad out of his life if he wished it so. Hitomi wouldn't blame him if he did. Mrs. Fanel was looking rather weak these days.

"He's not coming back," Hitomi reprimanded herself, "It'll never happen, you're a little sister if anything, always were. He wouldn't come back just for your sake, or anyone else's. Not even Varie."

But her heart wished for something quite different.

"Van…where _did _you go?"

"Hmmm? Hitomi, did you say something?" Allen's fingers tensed around her shoulder.

Hitomi gave a small shudder of surprise-she had forgotten that Allen was the one who pulled her out of the hallway. She looked back at the glass doors into the English hall, even more people were piling out. But where was that teacher? Hitomi squirmed out of Allen's fierce grip with a small smile. "Thanks for helping me along, Allen, but I'm quite all right." She pulled at the sleeves of her blazer absent-mindedly. Allen looked down on her short frame totally confused at her actions. Usually Hitomi was so glowing – but she was as white as a sheet, looking down in the grass as if searching for something that wasn't there.

The bells finally stopped ringing and people starting piling back into the halls. Hitomi ran to get back to her homeroom on time, and was in her seat with a confused Yukari next to her as the vice principal's grating voice came on over the intercom again announcing that their time was "too slow" and the next fire drill must be better.

"Hitomi, where did you go?" Yukari had been looking all over the place for her friend when the bells went off.

Hitomi blushed. How could she tell Yukari about Van? What was there to tell? He wasn't the new English teacher. "I was in the bathroom," she lied.

"That's bullshit!" A friendly face turned around in his desk to face Yukari.

Hitomi glared at Amano, but he grinned happily at Yukari and the blushing blonde to Yukari's left.

"I saw you with Allen! I had to go deliver a message to Ms. Aston and had to pass the English hall – where Allen's homeroom is! They were hugging on each other during the drill!"

"Shut up Amano!" Hitomi seethed through her teeth. She didn't want someone to hear and get the wrong idea about her and Allen, "Allen's just a friend – and he's not the reason I was in the English hall."

"If he's not the reason, then why were you all the way over there when our classroom is a flight below the English hall and there's a bathroom right next door?" Amano wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making Yukari laugh, agree, and give Hitomi an equally suggestive look.

Hitomi rolled her eyes, blushing, not saying a word. How could she tell them about Van? "Just forget it!" She stammered out.

Yukari and Amano exchanged looks, and Yukari deflated a bit. "You know, I really didn't think you were ever going to let Allen have his way with you. I was kinda hoping you would resist him. I know he's good-looking, Hitomi, but with his type you've got to be a bit more careful."

Hitomi gave out a muffled growl, "Don't worry about me, Yukari, there's nothing to even think about."

Yukari gave Hitomi a slight glare. Why was she so upset? She left homeroom to go see Allen! Hitomi never did things like that, and she was denying attraction so blatantly when the whole school knew how much Allen was after Hitomi's…well…pants!

Yukari decided to ignore it, and the subject was dropped as the announcements came on and the classroom erupted into its usual deafening buzz, the announcer's voice droned out completely. Hitomi made an effort to do her homework, and Yukari and Amano flirted shamelessly. So for one brief moment, all was right with the world. The periods passed as normal time sluggishly moves for one waiting for it to end. Finally, last period came, English, and Hitomi and Yukari made their way to room 167.

"Hitomi, you haven't met the new English teacher, have you?" Yukari asked as the two girls climbed up to the English hall, full from lunch and moving a little slowly.

Answering with a small voice, Hitomi replied with a negative.

Yukari's face twisted with something of a mix of frustration and confusion. "Hitomi, you know you can tell me when anything is wrong, right?"

"Of, course, Yukari," Hitomi said, her voice defensive, "But nothing's wrong. What's with you today? I'm not sick, I'm not unwell. I'm fine! There's nothing wrong, no need to worry!"

She had replied with too many words for Yukari to believe her. "You're never sad." Yukari said, her voice shimmering slightly with some slight soft grievance, something new and unheard, as if had just been dug up, like a ruin revisited long after it has been rotting. "Never sad at all, and today, well, you're just not yourself. What really happened the morning? That thing with Allen and how quiet you've been all day, just staring off into the day. What are you thinking about?"

Hitomi's eyes moved away from Yukari's intense, worried ones, trying to find some hint of relief from Hitomi's oppressed mood. Hitomi's green irises seemed to fade into an

Easter pastel as she looked towards the light outside the exit doors, focusing out and blurring her vision over as she was slightly lost in the moments and past that had flashed by and played out in her mind all day. Her hand was taken up, and she saw him before her, a little girl and a little boy, the best of friends, like an older brother but not quite so far removed from that part of a chaste heart. Their tan arms the same color that last summer, a summer in the sun. He would take her hand always, and give it a squeeze, just like that.

But Hitomi found when she looked down that it was Yukari's earnest hand clenching hers, her face searching Hitomi's for some explanation.

Hitomi felt that moment from before and felt like she would certainly lose herself if she didn't collect some semblance or ordinary life. Hadn't that been so long ago?

"Forget it!" Hitomi said harshly, "I want you to forget, as I am trying to do! Can't you see that, Yukari! Everyone has their dirty laundry, and I'm not going to let it hang on someone else's lines!" Her whispered ferocity faded like a sound as she turned and walked into the classroom with deliberation.

Yukari bowed her head, looking at the ground, silent. She shuffled into the classroom and into her seat, separated by a row from Hitomi. The blonde had already stoically prepared herself for class, getting out her notebook and pen. Yukari simply wished she could inherit such stolidity, but her emotions ran too thick, and she vowed to remain silent of the subject until her friend decided to come to her instead.

The black haired teacher from before was standing at the front of the class, his tie loosened as he lounged in front of the computer waiting for things to settle down. He took roll with a strong voice, and Hitomi could tell he was much younger and very different than their previous English teacher. While Hitomi was wrapped up in her thoughts, the teacher's voice prompted the students, "Is there anyone I didn't call out?"

Hitomi had her nose in her notebook, trying to copy notes from a class she missed the day before, when Allen shoved her elbow, "Hey, Hitomi, did he call out your name?"

Hitomi looked at him questioningly, "No, I guess he didn't," she raised her hand, but the teacher didn't seem to notice her, looking down.

"Sir! Sensei! You didn't call my name." Hitomi said, her hand poised above her, slouched.

He looked up from his roll sheet, under his dark hair. Hitomi felt the small twinge of when they had locked eye contact from before. He really was very young, and only looked a few years older than she. His eyebrows furrowed together as if what she had just told him was a big problem. He seemed to almost be calming himself down, though, and said, "Really? Well, I don't recall you being in this class last time."

"That's because I was on a field trip with the biology class."

"Hmm, okay, there have been some mistakes when the office was transferring roll sheets into my name. Come up here one second."

Hitomi walked to the front of the room, the lolling buzz of classroom chatter detracting from any attention on her and the teacher.

"Well," He held his hand out and Hitomi clasped it, shaking his hand.

Ba-bump Ba-bump

Hitomi stared down at his hand and their grip on hers, looking up at the fire-eyes.

Ba-bump Ba-bump

Was she dreaming? Was the deja-vu?

He seemed to falter a bit, and held her hand with less of a business shake, releasing tension as if he'd held it and her hand before, familiar of the folds and the crease in the skin. Ba-bump

"Your name, then?" He breathed out, gripping in toward her.

Ba-bump Ba-bump

"Hitomi."

Ba-

"Hitomi Kanzaki."

Ba - bump

It became a deeper, louder thump in his chest.

"No way…"

Hitomi curled her fingers around his hand tighter, "Then you, you really are-"

Ba-bump Ba-bump

"Yes!" A huge, disbelieving grin spread across his face, and he stood up over his desk to lean toward her, his handsome face glowing as if his life and just in that moment turned for the better, "It's me, Van, Van Fanel."

Hitomi reached out her other hand to his hair, strange to her, and she stretched her fingers to trace his face, "No way..."

Ba-bump Ba-bump

Ba-bump Ba-bump

Ba-bump Ba-bump

"Umm…Mr. Fanel?" a high voice from the doorway pierced the moment. Hitomi released her hands from him like fire, her face turning tomato as she clenched her rapid-fire heart.

"Hitomi! What are you doing?" Allen seethed from the back. The whole class had stopped to watch the strange exchange. Yukari and Allen were standing, Yukari leaning on her desk in earnest disbelief.

"Mr. Fanel," Aston looked at him queirily as the man backed away form his student and turned his wide-eyed attention to the woman at his door, hand to his chest as if he had heartburn, "Dr. Dornkirk needs to talk to you about the English fieldtrip you were planning right now, since he's not going to be in after school and it's Friday. Is it okay to go see him now? I can watch your class."

Van looked back at Hitomi's wide, beautiful green eyes, and she nodded, looking a little stricken and bewildered. He tore a sheet of paper from his notebook on the desk, wrote something on it, and shoved it into her shaking hands. His excited smile breathed a smile of joy and relief into her mouth.

"Yes, um," Van stuttered with his answer, trying to find some authority in his voice, "have them work on their essays from last time and I'll expect them tomorrow." Van grabbed his suit jacket and walked out of the door, scared to look back at Hitomi. He briskly moved down the halls, disbelieve, sadness, and extreme joy flooding through him at every turn.

He came to the domed archway that connected the English hall with the main building, and leaned on the glass with a tired weight. He looked out at the town below him, and smiled. He walked with conviction to Dr. Dornkirk's office.

* * *

Hitomi sat in her seat quietly, all eyes following her, disbelief in some, jealousy in others, but just mainly with looks of confusion. Ms. Aston quirked an eyebrow at the young girl for a brief moment, but soon her loud, commanding ways drifted the class back into a more academic direction.

Hitomi wanted to go after Van, meet him in the hall, give him a huge, long-awaited hug, and talk to him about all that had happened. Going to the bathroom was always a good excuse, she thought. Her hand shot up in excitement.

"Yes, Miss Kanzaki?" Aston asked from the front.

But what would everyone think, after seeing all of that? What would Yukari say? Hitomi looked at her red-headed friend, who was giving her a questioning and untrustworthy look.

Her hand curled and slunk down to her desk, "Nevermind," she said softly. And Aston returned to her book.

The piece of paper Van had given her was still crumpled in her hand. She opened it to read its quickly scribbled words:

"I'll come by tomorrow after breakfast. Tell your family- I want to see everyone."

Hitomi smoothed it out, then folded it neatly and placed it inside her notebook. She smiled softly, her usual softness returning to her angles and frame. She leaned her head over the desk to sleep and imagine.

Yukari turned away, furrowing her forehead. She looked back at the now slumbering Hitomi, and it made sense. But her hurt feelings still remained close, and her red hair draped over her tearing eyes as she tried to do her homework.

* * *

Umm….so that's suspense for you! Sorry, kids, I thought I'd update while I had the time. Hope you liked it. E-mail me or do the review thing.

Thanks

Cev


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